Motormouth.

As They Say, Actual Mileage May Vary

February 16, 1997|By Bob Weber. Special to the Tribune.

Q--I recently bought a 1997 Mazda Protege LX and have clocked the gas mileage. The car now has 1,400 miles on it and gives no better than 20.4 miles to the gallon though the advertised mileage is 25 city/33 highway. The dealer's service department says nothing can be done. What remedy do I have .L., Highland Park

A--First, the EPA fuel economy figures on the window sticker have no bearing on real-life fuel economy; they should be used only to compare new cars.

Those estimates are done under laboratory conditions by professional drivers in prototype vehicles, not on real roads by real drivers. Don't forget the admonition "your actual mileage may vary."

Second, your fuel economy depends on many factors:

How much time do you spend idling in traffic? You get zero miles per gallon when you are stopped. How aggressive are you when launching from a traffic light? Jack rabbit starts suck fuel. How cold is it outside? Engines use more gas until they warm up. Have you checked your tire pressure? Low tires reduce fuel economy. What gear(s) are you using? Lower gears mean more fuel consumption. How are the roads? Gravel, potholes and hills reduce gas mileage. Are you using any accessories? The A/C, defroster, rear window defogger, lights, radio and blower consume power.

Finally, at 1,400 miles, you still have a green engine. Give it a chance to break in. The rings need a chance to seat, and so on. In the first 3,000 to 5,000 miles, your fuel economy will gradually increase. Write back after your first scheduled oil change and let us know how your new car measures up.

Q--You quoted a NHTSA spokesman (Motormouth, Jan. 26) who said: "It is not illegal to disable anything that is not a mandated safety item covered by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards." Is an air bag covered? Can a person have an air bag removed or disconnected without breaking the law? Getting anything out of NHTSA is like pulling teeth. K.S., Gurnee

A--Under current federal law, it is illegal to deactivate air bags, but on Dec. 30, NHTSA issued a final rule proposing two changes, to reduce air-bag dangers, including depowering air bags and allowing them to be deactivated under certain circumstances on new vehicles.

The agency also proposed a rule that would allow dealers and independent shops to deactivate air bags upon request. NHTSA now approves such requests case by case. The new rule would provide "families who need to transport infants in the front seat, individuals with certain medical conditions and others who are concerned about potential air-bag dangers with an expedited legal avenue to turn them off."

Car owners will have to present a written request, will be discouraged from disconnecting the bags and will be advised of the pros and cons of doing so. If the system is deactivated, warning labels will have to be added.

As for getting information, try NHTSA's Web site: www.nhtsa.dot.gov and click on the air bag icon.

Q--Do the front struts generally go bad about 50,000 to 60,000 miles? This is what a brake shop told me. My '94 van with 50,000 miles doesn't ride as smooth as it used to. When I replaced the struts on an older van with 70,000 miles, it made a world of difference. M.R., Naperville

A--You have answered your own question. Shocks and struts, known as ride control devices in the industry, start wearing in as little as 20,000 miles, but it happens so gradually that few motorists feel the difference until they get new ones.

According to some sources, 50,000 is a common replacement interval. Not only do shocks and struts contribute to comfort, they make driving safer. Worn devices add to driver fatigue, tire wear and even reduced brake performance because the tires don't stay in contact with the asphalt.

Q--I own a 1986 Buick Century with 84,000 miles. After the car sits all night, I have to apply a lot of strength to the steering wheel to back out of my parking space. It almost feels as if it catches on something and suddenly breaks loose. This only happens in cold weather. E.N., Batavia

A--Though you did not mention it in your letter, we bet the steering feels fine after a few minutes of driving. Many GM cars of that vintage had a similar problem.

The seals wear grooves into the soft aluminum housing of the rack-and-pinion spool valve allowing fluid to seep by. When the seals get warm, they expand and normal power steering is restored. Your technician would have to install a rack-and-pinion unit. Rebuilts often have a steel sleeve insert to prevent future failures.

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Bob Weber is an ASE-certified Master Automobile Technician. Write to him in care of Motormouth, 17717 Silcott Springs Rd., Purcellville, Va. 20132. Send e-mail to motormth1@aol.com. Answers will be supplied only through the newspaper.